Beijing Nights

Where to drink in the bustling city.

The classic-style bar at D Bespoke.

Revelers play games at Modernista.

The stylish Contempio bar is located in what was the courtyard for a 15th-century temple.

A glistening rhino inside Contempio.

Live music at V.A. Beijing.

There are two sides to the Chinese capital’s kaleidoscopic nightlife: Clubs with bottle service and plenty of model types, or a motley smorgasbord of hangouts scattered throughout hutongs or alleyways. Getting lost among these historical mazes are opportunities to experience the real Beijing and uncover epic watering holes along the way.

D Bespoke

Cocktail culture has been sweeping through Chinese cities as rapidly as the velocity of the latest high-speed train. But speakeasy-style cocktail bar D Bespoke is one of the few establishments in Beijing appealing to the type of connoisseurs who can elucidate why ice pellets are used in shake-free drinks, rather than crushed or cubed. Helmed by the impeccably outfitted Japanese mixology veteran Daiki Kanetaka, the reservations-only spot, however, doesn’t boast a phonebook-sized menu. Instead, bespoke drinks are expertly crafted based on a series of prompts to glean a guest’s personal taste. Reservations are mandatory. D Bespoke: B510 107 Dongsi Bei Dajie, Dongcheng District; +86-10-6400-0133

Contempio

The notion of imbibing alcoholic concoctions — no matter how expertly crafted — in a temple may seem a tad sacrilegious. But the environs of Contempio, a bar housed in a 600-year-old temple courtyard, is too lovely for one to resist a taboo tipple. The establishment’s hidden locale also adds to its idyllic charm, heightened by artfully selected antique furnishings. Contempio: Doufuchi Hutong, east side of the Hong’enguan Temple (100m east of Cafe Sambal), Xicheng District; +86-10-6407-6778.

“Only by not forgetting the past can we be masters of the future.”

Ba Jin, Chinese writer

V.A. Bar

Unpretentious, under-the-radar and just plain entertaining, V.A. Bar is the ultimate destination for serious music lovers. Its status as one of Beijing’s best-kept secrets is more than a clichéd epithet for V.A. Bar, the city’s leading venue for live music. Decked out with a sound system to wow even the snootiest of aural aficionados, the intimate space has become known as a showcase for some of the city’s fiercest jazz musicians. V.A. Bar: 13 Wudaoying Hutong; +86-10-5844-3638